


Shadow of the Moon

by jaenosmaid



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Angst, Character Development, Eventual Smut, First Meetings, Fluff, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Overcoming fears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:09:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28233702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaenosmaid/pseuds/jaenosmaid
Summary: When the ritual begins, villagers start singing the dragon's song to celebrate the extinction of dragons. But nobody expects black beast to fall upon wedding and kidnap the reputable bride, Na Jaemin.AU where Lee Jeno is a dragon, kidnaps Jaemin accidentally and learns how to be a human after years of solitude and yearning.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 13
Kudos: 188





	Shadow of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Hi bubs it's jaelovesyong, changed my username lol. Wrote this after watching russian film 'on drakon' and got really inspired. It has some major changes because I was hesitant about some parts of film so here you go. 
> 
> This is an early new years gift. I wish all of you a better year and chances and happiness in 2021.  
> 
> 
> [Jaemin's lullaby](https://youtu.be/LukAcZAVPi0)
> 
> [gosh this is amazing](https://youtu.be/uZx_UQsdRys)
> 
> I know they're russian but it's to give you idea of how they sing these, lol. Couldn't find a proper version of dragon's song so if up to your imaginery. I watched the movie with turkish subtitles bc eng subs were wrong asf, and I had to translate some parts myself. I hope you'll like this one.
> 
> Good readings and excuse the mistakes pls!!

Island was boisterous today, weather had gone raged and thunders struck down with the pour. The sea roared back at the sky with louder and bigger waves, swallowing down its screams. Around the huge, highest mountain of this isolated, eerie island, waves frothed and washed upon the shore. So many ships and boats had been stranded to this shore and buried under the sand and water, perhaps today would be the same as well. Was it a way of gods responding to humans who lived their small lives away in cottages and killed each other for mortal reasons? If It's so, Jeno thought gods were as cruel as unforgiving.

They reminded him of dragons. Dragons were monsters that overshadowed the goodness: a puff of smoke that evoked fear and brought destruction upon world.

He was perched on the edge of dragon's mouth, so high that sky was just at the tip of his fingertips but no lightning came his way. No thunder struck him. Only the rough rain soaked him, leather pants so wet that it'd become one with his skin. Dragons despised rain but Jeno needed it to beat him: peel his skin and burn his cores because fire couldn't be the only thing a coward like him knew. Living alone in a lonely island with only a lemur was not enough of a punishment for a beast like him but death would be so easy for him. He needed the harsh relentlessness of this world of constant strife and war and tame the beast in him. It was either him or the dragon. _Do the sun and the moon stay in the sky at the same time?_ Two of them were too much for this world.

His father used to say that people could only exist in a way, by making mistakes. With mistakes, they earned flaws and sins. Through these, they became angry and outraged. Anger led to hate and pity, but they could cause either a victory or loss. Victory set you free, but so did loss. Such storms were nothing for Jeno. He hadn't been through darkness; he was born into it, he rode the night and fought the storms. Only thing he couldn't do was cutting through the mist that fogged up his sight but he'd long accepted it was his destiny, his fate, what's written deep in his bones.

Sometimes even the dragons couldn't escape what gods planned for them.

Looking up with narrowed eyes, he took his last shuddering breath in the bleak black dawn, as cold rain hissed from dark sky to anger the sea. The rains drowned the worst of fires, but there was nothing that could end wisps of smoke that rose from the smoldering ruin that was him. His lair was hulked in the gloom inside the highest point of mountain but he had no desire to go back to his chains right now as everything flew smoothly before his eyes.

_"Before, there was no time, no earth, no dust, nothing_

_Time is a fast-flowing river_

_No one can escape the lapse of time_

_The maid is ready to wed_

_As he waits for his groom_

_Just like when one awaits death_

_He is clad in white, as if dressed in shroud..."_

When the sound reached him, the dragon let out a deep rumble that shook his entire body. The song of dragons, the ritual song that he wasn't supposed to hear, that wasn't even supposed to be sung in the first place. Believing dragons to be extinct, villagers from distant towns sang these summons during weddings, favourite moments for dragons to capture the maidens. Feeling black beast awaken inside his chest, wisps of smoke spiralled upward from his nostrils.

 _The lair, I shall hide and remain in my cave until it ends_ but dragon was already responding to summonings. Before him, dragons had spent centuries abducting young maids and burning them to death for new male dragons, exchanging their lives to continue dragon lineage but Jeno wouldn't be like that. Dragon didn't share the same thought, though. He clenched his hands as a thin red slash marked his arms, glowing crimson in dark air. It reminded Jeno of the first blood welling from a wound. The blood came before the pain with a deep cut, he thought and screamed into vacancy once the dragon ripped out of his chest, putting everything ablaze.

_"He is fated to die_

_As the wedding bell echoes_

_Take him away, take him away, befall the dragon_

_Young maids will be offered to you forever..."_

Transformation had always been too painful, as if he was melting inside and out. Bleak dawn lit up with dragon's sparkles, then a hot wind buffeted him and he heard the sound of leathern wings. The air was full of ash and cinders and a monstrous roar went echoing off the raging storm and blackened rocks. They were calling him, and the dragon was more than grateful to fulfill their wishes. Flying off the edge and soaring up through rain, the dragon passed over frothing sea, then polished walls of a nearby town. His target was ahead, the song still continuing as if they were awaiting for dragon's arrival. Did they know dragons existed? Last dragon was his father and he was murdered in front of Jeno when he was a boy with bare feet and moon eyes. 

Breaking out another roar as it approached the target, dragon brought the rain and destruction. A big town was built around a cold, ice lake: within the beat of wings, storm followed him and broke the wooden sticks. Down in the middle of lake, there was a boat deck, and a young maid inside. Lowering to grab the boat between claws, deaf to the screams and yells rising around, Jeno took a moment to look at the maid through dragon's haze, who stared back at him with widened blue eyes. A young boy around his age, as white as winter with moonglow in his silver hair. 

A pretty one, the dragon thought and rose with the boat between its claws. _Drop him. Don't burn the maid._ Jeno mentally screamed but he was overpowered by dragon's wishes. While having a fight, he did not notice the rope that was stuck on the boat. Manically turning around, dragon hissed at the man who was yanking at the rope to get his bride back. Resemblance was too obvious that Jeno halted for a second: this long hair, hateful eyes and familiar face. This was the son of dragon slayer who killed his father and Jeno, years later, was stealing away his bride like his dad did before. Flying higher, dragon squeezed the boat rougher and heard it crack, falling down into the lake. Dragon grabbed silver maid by his torso and flew off the town, back to rainy, stormy island where his solitude and self-condemnation laid.

He heard the boy scream, felt his squirms but Jeno couldn't do anything, as dragon remained indifferent as it only wanted to have what it was summoned for. Stupid people, Jeno hissed, a rumble in his chest. _Don't they know what ritual song brings?_ Ever since the beginning of time, villagers sacrificed young maids to dragons who burned them and created baby boys out of their ashes. It wasn't a random song, it was the summoning of black beasts that brought destruction and death within, as Jeno had stolen yet another bride from his father's murderer kin. He knew his dad was a monster just like him but that petty, spiteful side of his dragon wanted vengeance. If the groom loved this silver haired maid enough, he could split the mist of island and reach his bride and fight the dragon for his dignity.

When they reached the island, the dragon instantly flew inside the cave, to the stove where maids were burned. _No. Don't burn him, don't be yet another monster_. Jeno fought the dragon as he'd been doing for years, hitting here and there and ripping heartfelt cries from maid. I'm sorry, he painfully thought and dropped him down in a pit where dragon's huge size couldn't reach. Roaring for having lost the maid, the dragon beat its wings and struck the rock but moonglow maid had stayed too below.

"A man's biggest weapon isn't his strength, it's his willpower," his father had said once. He wasn't like Jeno who despised the dragon, quite the contrary, he had adapted to his dragon way too much that it brought his end. Not entirely undeserved as scorching innocent maids was a horrible thing to do, and perhaps the reason Jeno willed against the dragon's thirst was because his father at least taught him it the best. His only remnant on Jeno.

Fighting the dragon to stop, to calm down and rest in a corner, he flew down inside the hollow rock and harshly crashed on ground. Dragon hissed with pain but Jeno sighed in content, closing his eyes with weariness that left him worn out. _I shall let the maid go, but how can I?_ There were no ships or boats as all were destroyed at storms. And would the dragon even let go of maid? He was so pretty, Jeno though, silver haired maid's face flashing in his mind. Someond too beautiful, something he couldn't have because boys like him didn't deserve to taste sunlight and happiness: he only belonged to this isolated, gloomy, bleak island of quiet rocks. This was the reflection of his soul and shame: he couldn't continue this circle anymore. After he died, the dragons would finally go extinct and they would no longer terrorise innocents.

There was nothing outstanding about fear. When people feared something too much, they only wanted to annihilate it so no more suffering would emerge. Humans weren't meant to dance with dragons and Jeno was loath to close his eyes for what expected him beyond the darkness. 

When he woke up, he was completely naked in his human form. The lemur that he didn't even name was watching him with smart eyes, letting out few annoying sounds and gesturing somewhere high. The maid in the pit. What was he doing all alone in dark? The dragon grumbled in him, and Jeno shushed it, standing up with agile limbs. Living in an island made of rocks meant climbing everywhere and doing everything on your own, so he was quite toned and swift on foot. Climbing the rocks with little effort, he went upwards to dress into a pair of pants. From the ships that crashed nearby, he would pick up the clothes and stuff that weren't washed away.

After he wore the pants, he began climbing again, calloused hands way too accustomed to rough, scorched rocks. It wasn't quite rare that Jeno burned down around when he was on dragon form, trying to control himself and dragon's antics. It took long enough to conclude that those monsters weren't meant to be tamed, and to protect the humans, he had to stay in his human form and isolate himself in this island.

He knew ways to reach the pit, paths that led him to a crack with view of dark, rotten pit. When he didn't see silver haired maid anywhere, he frowned, wondering if he dropped him in another pit. Then, a scream seeped through his mind and he watched young boy fall down from above, probably cracking at least a few bones. He looked up at the rocks with a puzzled expression, taken aback by the fact that this pretty maid achieved climbing so high with barefoot and bare hands. Golden hands that never touched the harsh side of life, and a pair of blue, round eyes that never saw the dark of night, looking straight into him. Hue of joy and relief painted the paled face of boy, confusion and mirth of seeing another human in the cave of cruel beast.

"Hey," a sweet yet deep voice, laced with tiredness that Jeno was quite familiar of. The boy was clad in dirt and filth, braided silver-white hair almost turned grey with dust but still, his beauty wasn't eclipsed. Aside from the fact that Jeno never saw any other human face to face, this maid was the most gorgeous thing he laid his eyes on. "Are you also a captive of dragon? Did you see it bring me here?"

Jeno blinked dumbly, looking down for a moment. _Yes. I'm chained to this monster and can't walk away from it._ He nodded slightly and the boy approached, getting closer to crack. From up close, his eyes became wider, flaming brightly with an equally beautiful spirit that shouldn't be caged here. Jeno couldn't keep the maid captive, he decided while look at the keen determination and devotion of getting out of this island on boy's face. The dragon had to let this boy go or else he'd find a way to run somehow.

"I'm Jaemin," he said, smiling, leaving Jeno awestruck. His father had told him many myths about gods and sang him the hymns of angels but he didn't know angels could smile, ever so prettily. No lips could smile so wide if it wasn't for the sake of sunrises. "I see you are very scared, but we are together in this. Tell me your name."

 _My name_. He had a name but the dragon didn't. "It's Jeno," he murmured, looking away from Jaemin when his radiance became too eyeful. Silence was familiar within these rocks while dragon wasn't roaring but sweet voice of a sweet maid could be just as effective, perhaps.

"Jeno, nice to meet you. How did you become dragon's prisoner?" 

_I'm its prisoner since birth_. "How did you?" He asked instead, unsure of what to say. His eyes darted across the boy's torn, ripped wedding dress: barely covering his thighs. "Your people sang the dragon's song and it took away the bride like legends say, am I wrong?"

Jaemin's face twisted with sorrow. "We thought they were extinct," he whispered, as is he feared dragon could hear him. How would he feel if he knew it was talking to him? "My fiance's father killed the last dragon."

"Who is your fiance? Do you love him?" Jeno asked curiously because if this boy truly had somebody he wanted to go back to, he had to help him. It was impossible to leave the island since there were no remaining boats and dragon was at the edge of its patience but Jeno adamantly refused to surrender to dragon for once. For the innocent, sweet maid's life.

"He's important to me," Jaemin said, though his eyes were surprised as if it was the first time somebody asked about his feelings. Perhaps it was, considering the glorious ritual, he must be a relative of town's Chief. "It doesn't matter right now, Jeno, we should find a way to leave this place. Do you know any way out?"

"Why do you think I'd be here if I knew how to exit?"

Jaemin looked both upset and embarrassed, pale cheeks turning rosy. His eyes were despairing and Jeno felt horrible for being the reason of his sorrow and captivity. It was the first time somebody ever sang dragon's song and he had no idea how to fight it. Most of time, he was overpowered by the dragon, though not overwilled.

"Forgive my audacity," he said with much respect and feeling that Jeno was sure he was a royal member, a high rank one. He never met any of them but there had been some books he found and read from ship ruins. When Jaemin's growling stomach resounded in the pit, silver haired maid blushed madly and ducked his head down. His hair was quite long, as Jeno noticed, braided neatly down his back. 

"I can give you food," he offered, making the boy beam at the thought of eating. Softly, Jeno smiled at him. "Wait for me."

"How do you find food here?" Jaemin asked once Jeno turned around, getting lost in darkness. "Hey, I can't see you. Aren't there any torches?"

"It's a dragon's lair, no more fire needed," Jeno reminded with a loud voice, climbing a rough path and running to the storage where water and food supplies were. Choosing the best fruits and cleanest water for Jaemin, he put them in a piece of cloth and ran back to the pit. He had no idea how to explain himself, how to fix what dragon caused but his first job would be searching for equipments to make a boat so Jaemin could safely return his home. Though he was speculating that his fiance, son of dragon slayer, would come to take his bride back just like his father had done. Perhaps Jeno would be the one at the tip of spear this time.

"Jeno! Jeno! How big is your pit?"

"I'm here," he said, ignoring his questions. Careful not to hand over everything all at once, he gave him few things to get full. Jaemin's blue eyes softened as he munched on red apple, delighted and delirious. How long had it been since the dragon abducted him? Hours? Days? _It's been enough long,_ Jeno eventually decided upon noticing the boy eating two apples and one peach under two minutes, drinking up the entire bottle of water in one go.

"Thank you, thank you so much," Jaemin repeated. "But they were so clean-Where do you find them?"

 _Lie_. "There's a tunnel through my pit, I can sneak out if the dragon isn't around."

Jaemin's eyes glowed, almost forcing his small face into the crack. "Please, please get me out of here too! I want to go back to my home!"

"I can't get you out, there is no way I can reach your pit," Jeno said, scared to admit that he's the dragon, because the only human he ever came in contact would hate him. He would prepare Jaemin's boat, let him sail back to home safely and remain a good memory for him, as his prisoner mate, not the black beast that kidnapped him. "But I'll do my best, alright? Dragon always has an eye on prisoners."

"How many prisoners are there? What does dragon do to them?" Jaemin questioned, then blue eyes, only colour in the cave, roamed on his face carefully. "You are way too clean and tidy to be a prisoner."

Jeno grew nervous in fear of getting exposed. "I've been like you when I first came here but as I told you, I can sneak out sometimes. There is a copper tub away from dragon's evil eyes."

Jaemin seemed to buy this, as his face converted back to sweetly confused and battling. "How do I look like?" He murmured, touching his face and grimacing a little. "Way too bedraggled? My back also hurts from the fall."

Jeno smiled upon remembering the boy was trying to climb his way out of the pit. A pretty maid with a warrior's soul, brave, _more than I can ever get_. "I will try to bring whatever I can find for your wounds," he said.

He was always storing a bunch of herbs for the way dragon always managed to get him injured in a moment of losing control and transformation. How many times had he struck the rocks and remained passed out for days, forgetting his own name when he woke up back. Courtesy of being the only human in whole island, nobody to help you when you're in need. That small, golden eyed lemur wasn't that much useful either, its only skill being stealing every food Jeno stored.

"How were you brought here? Tell me about yourself," Jaemin said with the hope of keeping himself busy. He didn't want to stay alone in the dark, deep pit but Jeno had to go so silver maid could return his home. Quickly planning a play that'd be enough of an answer to Jaemin, Jeno pulled away into dark with a scream and rough beat of his feet against the floor. 

"It's the dragon! Stay away, Jaemin! Hide in a corner!" He screamed, and with his scream, dragon rose inside of him. Always very eager to conquer his body. 

"Jeno!" Silver maid was yelling, shouting his name but as the dragon gained control, Jeno was forced at the back. Dragon beat its gigantic wings, breaking the rocks and flying off. When it lingered above Jaemin's pit, he saw the maid hiding in a corner with hands covering his head. Letting out a roar, dragon was filled with instinct to burn and create a baby dragon but Jeno fought him for the sake of Jaemin's safety. No human would be scorched by him, especially no brides who belonged to somebody else. As the dragon and he had a fight, they hit here and there, broke few reefs.

_A man's real strength is willpower, against a pretty maid, against blood and against monsters that want to make you one of them._

When Jeno managed to suppress the dragon a little, he quickly shaped back to human form and ran out of cave to breathe fresh air. Sky had already cleared up, sun high burning his tanned skin and blue of the dome reminded him of Jaemin's eyes. Was it possible for a pair of eyes to hold freedom inside? How could someone carry the sky within himself wherever he went? Jeno had always lived too close to sky but never enough. It was dragon that flew through squishy clouds, Jeno never tasted how freedom felt before, stuck in this island made from the bones of his ancestors. There had never been colours in his life, only the blackened night.

While his blood was surging through, thrumming in his ears, he went through the remnants of ruins. Ships and boats that were washed up to shore, with no more than broken sticks and boards. How could Jeno fix them? He was no ship master, and knew bare minimum about directions. Perhaps they had no choice but waiting for Jaemin's fiance to come find him, then Jeno would squeeze himself between that narrow path at the bottom of mountain so the dragon couldn't get out and harm the innocent bride and his groom.

"Shit," he mumbled, ribbons of hair damping on his face from how much he sweated. He found a little elastic pin and pulled his long, brown hair in a ponytail. It wasn't nowhere as long as Jaemin's silver hair but Jeno doubted it would suit him anyways. The dragon let out a dangerous grumble for the fact that maid was staying here and it had all the time in the world to cook him but Jeno adamantly silenced it, much to dragon's chagrin. No more deaths and dragons, he had promised when he anchored himself on this island, away from humans and maids and slayers that searched for dragons to kill. Jaemin would leave this place of beasts in flesh and one piece, no other way could be mentioned.

After finding the herbs Jaemin exactly needed for his scars, he headed back to pit with hesitance. What should he say about the incident? _Dragon tried to get to me but it failed,_ but it wouldn't be the answer maid needed since he'd been gone for hours. _I ran away from him and had been hiding among rocks inside the cavern,_ was the right option.

"Jaemin," he called out, peering in from the crack. Silver maid had cut his long, braided hair and tied it around a huge rock for security. What was he trying to do? 

"Jeno?" A relieved yell, then maid rushed to crack, short silver hair barely reaching his should in uneven cuts. "How are you? What did dragon do to you? I was so scared when you were gone."

"It's alright. I hid from it for a while, couldn't get to you before dragon left the cave," he lied, letting his eyes take in the look of blue eyes. He was scared because he was abandoned behind, alone and defenseless against the beast in darkness. Jeno felt horrible for causing all of this, wishing nothing but safely escorting the boy back to his home. Reaching out the herbs through crack, he handed them over to a confused Jaemin. "Rub them on your wounds, it will heal them quickly."

Then that smile again, too pretty, too sweet, too unique with small bunny teeth peeking. His lips were small and thin but with the loveliest shape Jeno had ever seen. Perhaps it wouldn't look good on anyone else but Jaemin owned all of his features: from the silver of his silk hair to the arch of his fair brows and these long eyelashes, thick and dark. How could somebody look so beautiful? Jaemin was prettier than sky and flowers, and his beauty was definitely unrivalled. Dragon slayer's son was so lucky for getting married to this maid of sweet daydreams and smells.

Jeno watched him with an enraptured gaze as Jaemin crouched in a corner, took off ripped dress and revealed sharp bone structure of his broad shoulders and a back full of constellations of beauty marks. Jeno also had two of them under his right eye and some of them on the rest of his skin, for nobody to ever see. Because dragons weren't meant to be loved. Humans didn't fuck with monsters like him and hope of a family was just a pipe dream.

"Don't watch me!" Jaemin warned, making Jeno blush and look down. He wasn't accustomed to such human interactions and intercourses, all were new to him. Looking at a betrothed maid was so immoral and disrespectful. He was acting like a caveman, which he kind of was.

"Pardon me," Jeno said with sincerity, pulling away from the crack so his eyes wouldn't betray his control. "I always watch the sky, birds and sometimes flowers: you're more beautiful than all of them."

"I don't deserve to be compared to nature," Jaemin said. "Wait, how do you get to watch these? Can you leave this place?"

Fuck. A deficit. _Find a lie_. "I mean, I used to. Before the dragon came from the sky I had been watching and brought me here."

Foot steps, then silver radiance of Jaemin glowed on bleak, polished rocks. The way his silver-white hair basically lit up the pit made Jeno's eyes widen in awe. How beautiful could he get?

"Where are you?" He asked with a small voice, slender fingers that were just as strong clenching around broken rocks. Slowly, Jeno slid forward and his face was too close to Jaemin's, twisted in pain and fear. Seeing him too hurt, too defeated stirred something awake. Why was it innocents that were harmed the most when dragons danced? Everytime a dragon eclipsed the sky, people died: including children and maids. It had to be stopped. No more burning brides and creating new dragons out of their ashes, after Jeno's death, dragons would finally go extinct.

"It was my wedding day, Jeno, I was going through a multicoloured light beam and now I am left in the dullness of grey." Jaemin gulped. "I don't love Jaehyun yet but I promised myself that I'd learn how to. Is it the way gods are punishing me for loathing my groom? My sister tried to stop me if I didn't want this and said bad things would happen if I didn't want this marriage. Why are my deepest worries stabbing me in the back?"

Jeno shook his head in a desperate way to show Jaemin nothing was his fault. Gods couldn't care less about who loved each other and who didn't: they only wanted prays and bliss within the desperation of humans. "It was the dragon," he said, not having the heart to meet maid's sorrowful gaze. _I will get you out of here soon, I promise._ "You did nothing wrong, Jaemin. How-How are your injuries?"

"They will remain scars if I can't leave this pit soon enough."

Jeno nodded, gulping dryly. His eyes hooked on the sight of short, uneven hair. "Why did you do that?" He gestured at his braided hair. As if recalling the situation, Jaemin snapped out of his trance and returned his spot to grab the hair and rock. 

"If it can stick in a crack, perhaps I can climb easier," he said, looking up at the rocks with devoted eyes that wouldn't give up before trying every way out. What a spirit, he was in awe of this silver maid, shining like moon at the bottom of world. Lights did not reach the pit of Jeno's carved hell but for some reason, this boy's radiance didn't diminish even the slightest. He threw the rock upwards but it didn't stick anywhere. With rampant anger but mind-blowing patience, he tried again, using the strength of his lean arms to throw it as high as possible. When it stuck in a crack, Jeno witnessed the way entire pit glowed silver when maid beamed with mirth. 

"It can't carry your weight," Jeno told him with concern, fearing that he'd break more than a few bones if he fell hard again. "Jaemin, be careful. You can't do this."

"We can't know without trying," was all maid had to say before climbing, hands holding on to his hair rope and barefeet striking the rocks. He only managed to climb a little when the hair decided to give up, splitting in half. The fall of silver boy made the pit bury in heavy darkness, his radiance wilting drastically. With worry rising in his chest, Jeno screamed Jaemin's name, pushing his face through the crack. The boy was laying facedown, body unmoving. Was he dead? _You killed him_ , dragon hissed at him, mad at him for losing the boy before doing what it wished to do with him. _Shut up you beast,_ Jeno shushed him, kicking it out of his mind.

"I-I'm fine." Small, raspy voice talked, then Jeno saw Jaemin's legs wobble weakly. His body had given out. Next time he talked, he sounded like he was crying. "Please don't look at me. I want to stay alone."

Jeno went outside afterwards, tears pricking at his eyeballs. It was cold, crawling under his skin and freezing him out. It was lethal and apathetic, as waves swiveled around and called him to drown in. Another night of rain and storms, shadow of the moon reflecting through heavy clouds. Moon was absent in sky because it was deep inside the cave, crying his heart out for his bad fate. He had left his family like a shooting star, all because of Jeno, the dragon, the monster that everybody feared as they should. Standing at the tip of dragon's mouth, Jeno looked down at the raging sea with a shield of crowded mist. _I shall wait for my death here, or simply make things easy and jump off._

He would accept the death of angel into his soul without withstanding, watching it crawl at him like a snake. He didn't have any strength to fight back: chest burning, lungs shattering, throat torn apart. It wouldn't be the fall to kill him, it was the dragon that'd been eating him up for years now. After dragon slayer murdered his father in front of him, Jeno saw all the memories of his ancestors and had sworn he was going to kill the dragon in his heart, slowly, by avoiding it until all dead and gone. His willpower never made the dragon fly out of island until few days ago, when villagers summoned it through dragon's song and the way it happened was the sole reason Jeno was refusing to become one with dragon.

A heat grew in his belly, flickering in his veins, with a woosh in his gut. Screaming into rough rain droplets, he jumped off into bleak mist of misery. If there wasn't anyone to tell his suffering, he shall yell blindly into vacancy. Throughout the fall, the dragon roared, not accepting an ounce of defeat and fire spread along his body painfully. When he transformed into dragon, giant wings broke a huge tower of rock while trying to regain balance, making Jeno sneer at the way dragon struggled to have control. But in the end, no matter the struggles, it always won. A monster that couldn't be put on a leash. _You can't control anyone's fear, only your own,_ his father had said once about owning the dragon and being one with it. But regarding the fact that his father was a power-hungry monster who was killed by revengeful spear of an angered lover, Jeno wouldn't prefer taking his advises into consideration.

The dragon flew into the cave, straight into maid's pit to get him, burn him and do the task it's supposed to do but Jeno stopped it. Jaemin would no longer get hurt _. I won't let anything harm him._ With rattling bones, Jeno led the dragon down below where he always ran to whenever he felt too weak to control the dragon. Striking the rocks many times, he let it get dumb and dizzy, though also wounding himself but it was his responsibility to protect Jaemin, silver maid with prettiest eyes and sweetest smile. Oh, to have him for himself, spreading underneath his body and thrusting into his warmth. 

When the dragon let out a satisfied rumble, Jeno was painfully aware of what it was injecting to his brain. Images of a maid, probably a virgin, spread open beneath his body. _No. No_. It was so disturbing and immoral to even dream of such things about Jaemin. He didn't deserve to be sullied by Jeno's gross imaginary, and not to mention it was such a distant option. A boy like him would never willingly have sex with someone like Jeno. Jaemin was a boundary he couldn't cross no matter what.

 _The dragon doesn't ask for permission from others. It just takes whatever it wants_.

Jeno grimaced at that and hit the rocks once again, completely passing out in the process. I'm not a murderer, nor a rapist, he strictly thought. Jaemin would return to his fiance safely, still virgin and untouched like all maids. And definitely not scorched either. Next time he opened his eyes, he was in human form and stark naked. The pants must have fallen off from the tip when he transformed. Sitting on his butt, he gave himself a moment to regain his strength, then began climbing to check on Jaemin. Silver maid was sleeping in a corner, new wounds bleeding and staining his wedding dress. He should rub the salve or they would get infected. Jeno spent the rest of day circling around the island, going through stranded ship ruins and stuff to find something to make a ship. Perhaps he should just get the boy out of pit but he didn't trust the dragon, it could do anything once Jaemin was out in open.

"Humans are weird," he murmured to himself, throwing a bunch of flowery dresses aside. Though for a second, he thought how nice they'd look on Jaemin's tall, lean figure with soft curves. _He's someone else's maid, Jeno, don't be such a weirdo_.

When he returned to cave, Jaemin wasn't here. Wasn't trying to climb the pit either. Contrary, there was a small crack at the other side of pit, one that was forcefully opened. Looking at the huge rock that must have fallen off when he was trying to control the dragon, Jeno cursed and ran out of pits to look for Jaemin in this quiet, dark cave with no shadow and fire. He could feel dragon grumble, wondering where its maid was. Dragon thought silver bride belonged to it fully because of the ritual. Dragons were quite possessive of what they thought belonged to them, and Jeno couldn't keep it under control for too long if he didn't find Jaemin soon.

"Where is he?" He yelled at the ugly, gold eyed lemur, that bared teeth at him in annoyance but cowered once Jeno walked on it. "Find his smell immediately! He might be hurt."

Complying his order, lemur searched for maid's smell and began running somewhere, closely followed by a Jeno who's heart hung low in his chest. _Please be good, please be good, no dead bodies in this island anymore_. Lemur took him to dragon's mouth, where Jaemin was standing at the tip with fearful eyes. Once they saw each other face to face, silver maid put the moon to shame by his vividness.

"Jeno! I found a way out!" He yelled but screamed once lemur lunged at him. 

"Stop! You're scaring him!" Jeno ordered the lemur, that stopped with his command. When Jeno looked up, the look in Jaemin's face wasn't confusion or anger. It was apathetic. Way too smart and skilled for his own good.

"Why is it taking orders from you?" He questioned, though he knew the answer. "Who are you? Who are you?!" 

"Jaemin, please listen to me. Let's get inside the cave," Jeno said, approaching him cautiously but Jaemin stepped away from him, almost dangling off the edge. Heart hammering and breaking his ribs, Jeno closed his eyes roughly. _What the fuck have you done, dragon?_ "I won't hurt you."

"You kidnapped me!" Silver maid screamed, eyes flaring up with rampant anger. "Same way your ancestors have abducted other brides. Do you want me to trust you after everything?"

"It was the dragon, not me! It's too difficult to explain but please, get inside."

Jaemin shook his head, determination clear in his eyes. "Dragon won't get anything out of me," he said, then fell off with a heartfelt yelp. Was it an accident or on purpose, he could never know if Jeno just watched bleak mist swallow the boy. Following the maid, he jumped off, dragon awakening within his veins. His blood erupted like volcanos and a tingle of crimson sparkle seeped through his limbs. He caught Jaemin midway, their chests striking the way two stars would crash in sky and the dragon roared to rip out of his chest and set the world ablaze. Last thing he saw while transforming, was the sight of wide blue eyes watching him in shock. Then, they crashed and his mind blacked out.

Jeno was surrounded by uneasiness and darkness of island. Something washed over his mind quietly and flooded everything out, stirring him in sleep. He desperately wanted to wake up but he wasn't allowed. Cold scent of power, dragon's fire down his nape. Sometimes his eyes would stir open through dizziness, vaguely remembering Jaemin's silhouette moving around, the sun flashing from somewhere. His heart felt like it was soaked in warm water. And in certain parts, he was feeling his neck tingle.

Sometimes the dragon rose in his chest, shaking his body hard but then there were soft hands that held him through everything. A sweet melody of silver maid that danced in his ears like fairies, leaving shimmering marks behind. He would sing him to sleep in cold, naked nights.

" _Hushaby, hushaby._

_Wind, wind, fly away._

_Till the very morning_

_I will be waiting for you._

_Hushaby, hushaby._

_Don't be afraid of anything there_

_Where white clouds are,_

_My voice is leading you._

_Hushaby, hushaby._

_You are swimming to a far away land._

_In that land, which is in a long dream,_

_Somebody remembers you._

_Hushaby, hushaby._

_I will lull by myself,_

_I will rock to sleep in my arms,_

_Like in white clouds._

_Hushaby, hushaby."_

Feeling of death crackled on his frozen skin. So hot it got irritated, trying to get rid of the bruised flesh like it was a disease. The gasp that left his mouth echoed in vibrant ears, the surroundings just a background blur. His mind didn't work properly, he didn't even understand if he was alive. But the tough surface of floor against his cheek, a heavy cotton blanket draped over him, the smell of sea and blood made him think twice. His eyes shut close and he flew in a dark, quiet sky this time.

At such a young age, pain had become a tangible burden perched on his shoulders. He had no one to trust, nobody to lash out, nobody to rely on. Jaemin was forced into dull grey after years of colours but Jeno was born into this. He never knew a hand except his own. It was the torment of dragon yet he suffered the most. The monster was as agile and vigor as ever, hungry for fire, death and blood. He woke up to shiny day, his mind still pounding but it was a little better now. His naked body was sore, skin of his legs peeled off as if he was dragged all the way up to lair. There was a solid, cold body against his back, wafting his senses. Jaemin was curled into himself, torn dress not enough to cover his equally scarred body. He must be the one who dragged Jeno up here.

Looking away from maid's soft, bare hips, he saw the lemur perched on a corner. Head tilted aside, eyes staring him down as if insulting his entire existence. He frowned at the lemur and grumbled, standing up. How did Jaemin know it was his main lair? Did lemur show him the way? Probably. Wearing a pair of pants, Jeno examined his scars that were tended cleanly. He felt maid's soft hands healing him and singing him angel's lullaby past nights. Even though Jeno had kidnapped him, he still took care of him no matter what. How could someone be so sweet and decent? 

He never knew the courtesy of of humans until he met Jaemin.

"See, you big, ugly beast. Even a pretty little maid is smarter and more controlled than you," he grumbled, tying the strings of leather pants. It was one of his favourites, probably used to belong to a wealthy merchant man who lost the fight against ruthless sea. Waters did not spare anyone, just like dragons.

He walked down the rock, afternoon sun warming his disfigured skin. He could at least catch fish for Jaemin who hadn't been fed properly for a while, then since everything was revealed, they would search a way to send him back home. Lemur kept jumping back and forth as Jeno caught the fish, trying to eat all of them at once. He threw the small ones to animal so it would calm down a little, laughing at the way lemur twirled in air like a fairy. Only creature in island along with him was this weird animal with abnormal gold eyes and instincts. It always listened to Jeno and did whatever he said, a communication bond that developed in years of solitude and having nobody but each other in proximity.

Jaemin was looking down at him when he turned around, radiantly salient under bright sunlight, vivid and gorgeous. His soft skin wasn't as tanned as Jeno's, as his town was located in the north and always covered in ice but he wouldn't stay pale for too long, especially if they couldn't find him longer dresses or pants. Despite the determined look of his eyes, he seemed quite giddy as he had taken care of Jeno all night long. A monster like him had no idea how to payback such a generosity.

"Good morning, Jeno. Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked, stomping his bare foot. For a royal boy, he was quite skilled in surviving wildlife. "Won't you talk to me now that you're exposed? I know you aren't trying to harm me but we shall talk things out for real."

Jeno averted his gaze when Jaemin sat down, dangling his bare, long legs with the elegance of a mermaid. Sometimes mermaids came here and it was how Jeno didn't forget speaking after death of his father, having left all alone. "I'm ashamed to confront you for what I've done whether it's my fault or not," he said, catching another fish and putting in on the bucket. Lemur went crazy as it accidentally knocked over the bucket, dropping some of the fish. Jeno scowled at the animal. "Get out of here or you'll be starving tonight."

A sweet chuckle, Jaemin shook his head and looked at running lemur with a smile. "You are living with only a primate in this isolated island. Care to explain everything to me?"

"You seem to have softened," Jeno said, clearly recalling Jaemin's apathetic voice and face from past night. "Thank you for carrying me up to lair."

"Yeah, I tried to give you a piggyback but it too difficult so I just had to drag you. At least you aren't the only one scarred." He stretched his right leg, much to Jeno's horror because was he aware he was a maid, a bride stuck in an island with a stranger male? As far as from what he read in books, this wasn't how maids should act but perhaps that was the magic within Jaemin. He pulled his leg back once seeing the troubled look on Jeno's face, sweet red crawling up his neck and painting his cheeks rosy. "My apologies, you seem uncomfortable."

"It's just that you're a bride. No man shall set his eyes on another man's maid."

Jaemin raised a brow. "Jaehyun doesn't own me even though he's my fiance. And I was just showing my injuries, there's nothing impure about it."

Jeno nodded because from a perceptive, he was right. Supporting his scarred body with the stick, he settled on a lower rock and rubbed the back of his nape nervously whilst thinking about what to do. What shall he say? Where shall he start from? "I didn't mean to abduct you, it was the dragon that wanted to capture you after hearing itself being summoned. When you return your home, make sure nobody ever sings the song again."

Jaemin chewed on his bottom lip. "Can I go back home? Will you let me?"

Jeno was startled by his choice of words. Letting him go. Dragon wouldn't but he would, as he could never steal somebody's freedom away. "Dragon is my enemy but I stand against it will all my willpower. There are some stranded ship and boat remnants: we can make you a good one to send you off."

"What will you do here? Will you always be chained on your fears?" Jaemin asked carefully, eyes seeing through every layer of Jeno as if he was purposely sent to undertake him. Golden urn of sympathy and compassion in azure eyes startled Jeno more, making him look away in a rush. A boy like Jaemin, made of moondust, shining rich silver, would never care for a beast like Jeno. They were cut different.

"People will be safe as long as the dragon is locked here," he said instead, fingers peeling the surface of wet stick. He had crafted it like a spear and was using to catch fish, not often though. Sometimes he went on a few days starving because it was a good way to tame the dragon that was forced to retreat thanks to his high willpower.

"What's that thing with dragons and brides? What do happen to brides when dragons take them?"

"Do you really want to know the truth?" Jeno said, recalling every single cry, face and pain of brides that had been brought here. Thought hesitant, Jaemin nodded. "Sacrificing is far too benign to explain what these brides went through: dragons didn't just burn them, they transformed back to human bodies and raped the maids: then burned them with dragon seed inside their wombs to create baby boys."

Jaemin pulled away with shock, hands fisting around his dress and knuckles turning white. If fear was a solid thing, it'd be Jaemin. "If they were so much cruel, then it wasn't just dragons who were fucked up in the head. It was the humans."

Jeno nodded. Most of time, dragons were beasts but humans were another one, the most dangerous kind to ever grace the earth.

"You are not a man like them, you have a good heart," Jaemin softly said and Jeno blinked up at him with surprise. What was he saying? Jeno kidnapped and threw him in a pit, even though it was an attempt to protect him from dragon. He shouldn't pity a miserable loser like him. "You've fought off the dragon to not hurt me. Do you know how much it means to me?"

"I- I won't applaud myself for not terrorising you. I will send you back home."

Jaemin started shaking his legs again. "Back to my question then: what will you do here?"

"What I've been doing here for years." With that, Jeno stood up and began walking to the other side of island. He felt silver maid follow him, his barefeet wetly striking the rocks. "If you trust in your fiance to find and rescue you, then wait for him by the shore. This island is enchanted: you see the blue sky and waters but people only see a fog from outside. Only those who have the bravery and affection can see the island and save his maid. That is how my father was killed."

Jaemin stood by him at the edge of a rock, looking at the length of island and shallow waters. "Jaehyun's father killed yours: that's why they sang dragon's song at our wedding, for the kin of dragonslayer."

Jeno smiled. "He was a brave man, a rare one to actually love his maid. He spared my life for being a child and left with his glorious ship." He glanced down at Jaemin; short, uneven hair and bare face. He didn't need that heavy make-up they'd done to his face on wedding day, he was more than beautiful this way. "Do you think Jaehyun will be able to find you?"

Crouching down to pick up some flowers, Jaemin collected a bunch of colourful daises and magnolias on his hand. Wondering what he was doing, Jeno also crouched and watched him closely. "What will you do with them?" 

"They say if you drop flowers into sea, they will reach your lover no matter the distance. Perhaps Jaehyun can find me through flowers."

"What makes you think he loves you?" Jeno asked, because he had a big mouth and no filter apparently. Silver maid shot him a confusing glare, like questioning his audacity and calculating his words at the same time. 

"He has done everything to get married to me. He must love me," he answered eventually, tossing the flowers into sea with the hope of rescue. "My sister hates him, though. She always claimed men like him are only in love with power and ranks and perhaps it is right. But if you want to become a Chief so much, then he will have to find me first."

"It's not about ambition, it's only about true love," Jeno reminded, feeling upset because Jaemin thought he loved Jaehyun, who was only after power. "Who is your parent?"

"My father is the Head Chief of Town but you've probably speculated this," he said with a sweet, smart glint of his eyes. He looked too cute when he tilted his head to the side innocently. Then his face turned serious as he looked ahead, eyes flickering around. "I won't sit by the shore and wait for anyone to come save me. Show me the ruins, Jeno."

So he did. They went to the other side of island where ruins were stuck between rocks. They went into sea until water reached their thighs, throwing and pushing stuff around. After he also concluded the lack of boat remnants, Jaemin's curiosity got the best of him and he began pulling out heavy trunks out of water. When Jeno questioned what he was doing, silver maid grinned.

"Your lair is way too bland and empty: we can redecorate while at it."

Jeno scowled as Jaemin tossed heavy weights onto dry rocks, showing off his strong arms and budging muscles. When he bent too low, short dress was doing a poor job at covering his hips and Jeno had to pinch himself to look away. Dragon was huffing out wisps of entertained smoke at his vulnerable state, whispering him to take the maid to stove and make him live the fate of all brides that were presented to them. He simply waved it off and focused on helping Jaemin carry the trunks up to his lair, almost fainting out of exertion.

"C'mon, are you giving up too soon?" Silver boy mocked, sitting over a trunk and rocking back and forth. "Humans do it all the time."

Jeno draped himself over the trunk, gasping for air, and Jaemin's deep giggle filled him with sweetness. "Being a human is exhausting. How do you guys do it all the time?"

"We did nothing yet," Jaemin pointed out. "Let's go. I wonder what these are full of. Perhaps there is some gold."

"I don't use gold," Jeno said, following Jaemin into lair. Rest of day was strange but warming, as they lounged around and threw old things away, changing them with new blankets, carpets and furniture. Most of trunks were filled with expensive cloth and cotton that Jaemin admired greatly, though Jeno had no idea why humans were amazed by a piece of fabric. He watched silver maid shriek with joy while finding prettier dresses, choosing a few for himself to wash and wear later.

"My sister loves this kind of patterns most," he said, showing an ugly piece. Noticing the distaste in Jeno's face, he smiled. "Don't judge my sister's fashion style. I wonder how she's doing without me, and rest of my family. They must be missing me."

"I think it is impossible not to miss you," Jeno confessed, endeared by Jaemin as much as the latter was intrigued by fabrics. "How does it feel to be human?"

"You already know this. You are a human too, Jeno."

Jeno didn't agree. How was he a human? Most of time, he was a lost soul who fought off a dragon that wanted to take over and destroy what's on its way. Even right now, it could awaken and burn down everything, including a lovely, sweet maid of moonglow. He might have a human side but he had no idea how to be a human beyond fighting for his stance. "Dragon doesn't like the thought of me becoming more human, which threatens its power and presence."

Jaemin looked into his eyes, firm and stern. "Dragon isn't a stranger, it's a part of you. It won't shallow you up if you learn how to accept it."

 _Accept_ , not taming or controlling. What did that even mean? Seeing his confusion, Jaemin wrapped his arms around his knees and rocked back and forth slightly. It was evening now, the sun setting at the horizon and last rays of sunlight created a red halo above their heads. "You treat the dragon as an enemy, and it's become one. I have seen you, Jeno, I know you're a human who's capable of controlling your inner monster. It's just that you don't want it but it's a part of you and nothing can change it. There is a saying in my town for lost causes like you: The one who's against his own branches, how can he love the flower?"

That night, Jaemin slept at the right side of lair and Jeno at the other. Night was quiet except for the lemur that was sculking around like a thief and stole the fresh fruits they'd picked up. The moon glowed on the lithe frame of silver maid, making him look ethereal, like he was the heart of moondust that fell upon entire world. He thought about what Jaemin said, what he aimed to mean and what it was supposed to tell him but found no answers. Dragon couldn't be a part of him.

Next few days, they woke with the dawn and continued their work at lair. Moping was the hardest thing Jeno ever did in his life, and Jaemin set up a rule to not step on carpets with dirty foot. After going through a few trunks thrown in a corner, he pulled out a horizontal mat and stretched it on floor. 

"Clean your foot before stepping in," he told Jeno with a sweet smile, silver-white hair pulled in a messy bun. His face looked even smaller when it was open this way. "This is what we do at home in the town."

Jeno arched his brows with amazement, leaning on the stick. "Doesn't it get tiring to always clean your foot?"

Jaemin laughed, and air seemed to clear up and shine brighter thanks to his laughter. "We wear shoes, dragon boy. But I suppose you aren't accustomed to such things."

"I know shoes but I hate them. I love feeling the earth beneath my foot so I can listen to what it tells me." Jeno gestured towards old trunks that he'd carried here long time ago. "There must be some shoes and stuff like that if you want a pair."

Jaemin seemed more interested in something else as he settled on a board, spreading his legs wide. He was wearing one of the clothes they found; a blue, lacey dress that was a little too small for him but it fit his curves perfectly. "How does being a dragon feel like? How does flying feel?"

Jeno shrugged. "I'm not sure, it has no special meaning for me since I've been doing it since forever."

"But it must feel something to you," Jaemin insisted, huge eyes glistening with curiosity. Jeno couldn't leave such a sweet boy unsatisfied despite the fact that he never got to enjoy his flies because of the dragon that kept crushing him.

"I think it is like breathing, breathing too deep that the world stops spinning and everything slows down. Everyone knows that this world isn't for any of us but in that small span of time, everything is flowing for you. Your home, worries, fears all stay down below as you soar higher in sky and it also has a rebellious side, I guess."

Jaemin hummed with delight, then they returned to fulfill their duties. Jeno once again went to shore to catch fish and it was up silver maid to keep the lemur away from their dinner, as hard as it's. Dragon was restless inside his chest, grumbling at the way he'd been spending time with a bride that's supposed to be its prey but Jeno would inflame the whole island and still bring no harm to Jaemin. He had locked away his humanity in the fight with dragon but this maid was trusting him, believing him to be a good human who would send him back to home safely. Who was Jeno to betray such sweet, hopeful dreams? He couldn't paint Jaemin's sunlit blue eyes with the colour of betrayal.

He had to keep away the dragon until silver maid went home.

"This youthful nimbleness coupled with remarkable strength and skill is inspiring. My father would have liked you," Jaemin said once Jeno returned with a bucket of fish and lemur went crazy again, running around his legs like a madman. Gently pushing it aside and telling it'd get one if stopped acting up, it was the only thing that made lemur stop and look up at him with hopeful eyes

"I always thought of chiefs to be fat, old men for some reason," he said with an apologetic look but Jaemin just shook his head and waved off his comment. A little shy, Jeno tried to ask nonchalantly. "Does your father like your fiance?"

Jaemin pouted, shrugging with little care. "A little too much but to be honest, everybody loves Jaehyun. He is just so handsome and talented, also the son of dragonslayer."

What a reputation. Even if your ancestors from centuries ago butchered a dragon, you were still respected for the sake of their name. His inner dragon liked being feared and regarded this way, as fear and blood were what they fed on the most. "There won't be more dragons after me. Humans can take a relieved sigh then."

Jaemin's eyes followed him tentatively. "What does that mean, Jeno?"

"I won't create another dragon out of the ashes of innocents and release it upon the world like my ancestors have done. I will die and all this tradition will end within."

Jeno saw silver maid stand up from the corner of his eyes, crouching next to him on floor. Blue orbs were concerned and a little reverent as if he was exploring a whole new world and couldn't be more impressed. "This is exactly what makes you human. Can't you see it? You gave me food, water, herbs to heal myself in the pit and have been searching through ruins to find a way to send me home. Has the dragon threatened to reveal lately?"

Jeno shook his head. Dragon was watching everything with full attention, sometimes mocking him, belittling his abilities and at the end of day, they both knew it was two of them again. Jaemin would leave, another bride might come but in the end, dragon was all Jeno possessed and there was no way to get rid of it. _The one who's against his own branches, how can love the flower?_ Smiling with a triumphant look, Jaemin sat on his butt and stretched his legs fully.

"It's really not my place to poke my nose into your business and dictate over your own life but I haven't been doing all this for nothing." He looked around, pushing Jeno to do the same. Cleaned floor, new carpets, blankets that they hung between bed places, pile of trunks in a corner and their clothes divided neatly. Last few days all they did was redecorating this lair and for once, he saw what silver maid meant. He made him spend time like a human and it helped, it really helped to distract him and distance from dragon. He blinked his eyes dumbly, admiring Jaemin for his good heart and intelligence.

"You didn't have to," he said, fiddling with his fingers as his face became way too hot. What was that now? Was he transforming? This wasn't how transformation felt, though, as he'd been through it so many times. It was a human respond of embarrassment: he was blushing in rosy hues.

Jaemin smiled. "My father taught me to always return goodness. It isn't payback, as kindness has no price, but a simple way of mutualization because people need people."

"You are way too good, then," Jeno said, unable to look away from his face. Was he an angel or something like that? Why would gods send boys who rivalled their beauty and goodness to earth? "I wouldn't be too nice to a boy who kidnapped me as dragon."

Jaemin sighed, blue orbs boring through him. He seemed way past this topic. "You said it was an accident and it's the end of discussion for me. There is no gain in further conflict." Silence. Then Jaemin's face beamed. "Hey, you are too good at speaking and know plenty of things about human world. Do you have got books to read around here?"

Jeno nodded, though hesitant. Why did Jaemin look so enthusiastic about the idea of books?

"Show me the way then."

They walked down the lair and went to the peak at the other side of island, where Jeno's father used to live. After his death, he also stopped using the lair less and less and abandoned it in the end. He could see how neglected it was when they climbed the lair: everything was buried under dust and amount of dirt made both of them cough.

"This looks ancient. Why haven't you used this place?" Jaemin asked, walking through dust to open a path for himself. He stopped in the middle and took a deep breath, look of determination in his eyes was very familiar and Jeno immediately realized his upcoming fate. Once again, he ended up mopping the floor, almost passing out over layers of dirt. This time, they both got so filthy that his whole body itched but they couldn't leave before cleansing whole lair: purifying it from the dust that swallowed down the floor.

But despite all the exertion, it was wonderful to goof around with Jaemin, who was too sweet, too delectable that Jeno was angry at the fact that Jaehyun wasn't coming to rescue him. Perhaps he was scared to confront a dragon but Jaemin deserved to be fought for. If he was to be his groom, Jeno would have taken down mountains to reach his silver maid.

After they cleaned the lair from heavy dust, they found the books and sat on floor for hours going through papers. Sometimes Jaemin laughed at the covers and ever so curious, Jeno begged to see it as well. A little playful, how coy and joyful, silver maid would pull away with a gravitating look in his eyes, as if inviting him to join his shameless game.

"Despite being ostracized from society since birth, you've found a way to improve yourself," Jaemin told him while lemur jumped on the books and started biting on papers to get their attention but they let it do whatever it wanted. Jeno was way more interested in the way midnight moon glowed on Jaemin's hair and crystallized face. He looked too perfect as if he was carved by the hands of gods personally. "It's a humanistic instinct to develop and learn and explore more about the world. How you can deny the human in you will always be something I'll question."

"Doing civilized things don't mean I'm a human. I'm only working with you right now only because dragon lets me."

Jaemin tilted his chin arrogantly, quite offended by Jeno's words but he was right, wasn't he? Dragon always had the best of him. "Dragon is you, Jeno. It's not another monster."

He looked away with a tight jaw. When he was a child, when his father was still alive, he'd always force Jeno to transform and become a dragon like rest of their ancestors. The boy didn't want it though, as he was just a boy with bare feet and sparkly eyes, watching his own father fly around island to show him how to be a dragon. He liked to stay on ground and feel the earth flow beneath his foot, as he told Jaemin before, he could both feel the earth and see the wind. Wind was for dragons to rotate their way better and conquer the sky as they were destined but earth was made for humans. After Jaehyun's father killed his father, he transformed in a moment of shock and pain and memories of his ancestors flooded into him: pictures of tormented, raped, burned brides. Thought of being created out of an innocent maid's ashes disgusted him far too much that Jeno didn't want to associate himself with any dragons.

If he was the dragon, then it meant becoming a monster like his father and others.

"What are we eating for dinner?" Jaemin asked once he noticed Jeno was brooding but it was already too late. Standing up quickly, he told him to eat whatever was left from yesterday and ran out of the lair to inside the cavern. It was dark and suffocating and dragon was threatening to awaken, he had to reach the narrow pass. His heart was pulsing and burning beneath his skin, throbbing achingly. Jeno's feet struck the earth and gave him tingles of ache, his ankles shaking weakly.

Dragon wanted to explode.

"I'm not you, I'll never be a monster like you," he spat, hitting his head roughly. He kicked at the rocks and didn't care that his toes went numb with pain, climbing to the peak of island where dragon's mouth stood with full force. Shadow of the moon danced in polished submerged mountain. How could he run from his destiny when he kept standing on this bleak island made from billions of tiny coral exoskeletons of his ancestor dragons? How could he deny his fate when it was shoved up to his fate? Reality wasn't something you could shrink from. Once he reached dragon's mouth, he settled by the edge and looked down at the island: the lagoon, his father's old lair, the estuary. It was the picture of his same life: same paths, same air, same waters. Only thing that brought some change to him was stranded ruins, whether it be trunks or boat parts. 

When he was a kid, he'd found a trunk in the shore. A trunk full of small instruments that he read about on books but he only learned how to play the flute. Since his father got mad at him with playing with toys and not focusing on transforming, he'd hidden it until the death of his father. Lack of another human on island was replaced by the sound of flute; uneven, horrible sounds that its masters would despise him for even touching the instrument but child Jeno desperately needed something to occupy himself. At times when he was buried under loneliness, he sheltered in the harmony of music. He never wanted to be born into this solitude of life but here he was.

Next morning, Jaemin woke him up by dragon's edge and mumbled something about how he didn't fall of whilst sleeping here. 

"I want to take a bath," silver maid explained, pointing at his greasy hair. Then he pointed at somewhere over Jeno's shoulder. "Let's go to blue lagoon."

Jeno nodded and they silently went down, heading towards the lagoon. Jaemin grabbed a pile of clean clothes he'd put in a corner, holding tightly against his chest as if somebody could chuck it away. It made Jeno smile, how cute Jaemin was being, who noticed his reaction and raised a brow. "What? Are you laughing at me?"

"What did you eat last night?" He asked instead, making him shrug.

"Nothing. I slept after you left."

Jeno frowned. "You must be hungry. I'll catch fish for you after the bath."

"Do you always eat fish? Aren't there any other meat?"

"I don't eat too often," Jeno confessed. "There are enough fruits and herbs for me to keep myself full when I decide to eat, though."

Jaemin's curiousity was never ending, as he also questioned how the dragon was fed in the island. When they reached the lagoon, silver maid entered the water first, taking off his dress. His body was an ocean that waved softly, and Jeno was a mere bird flying over his sweet waters, painfully aware that he could never have this. He dipped his head into water and wet droplets rolled down his smooth chest, a fair line of hair going down to his crotch. He couldn't take care of his body in island like he did in his home, proved right when he whined about his body hair growing. 

"It's not that much of a difference," Jeno told him, though wasn't sure about the context of his own words. He awkwardly stretched his own leg and Jaemin stared at his cock instead, making both of them blush and scratch heads. As they silently washed themselves, enjoying the warmth of noon sun and sweet feeling of sea that purified them, time passed too fast for his liking. Just as when they were about to leave, Jaemin turned to him with an enthusiastic grin, so childish, so boyish. He reached out his hands and wriggled them cutely. Jeno knew that, no matter what he wanted, he could never say no to this sweet boy.

"Hold my hands tightly. Spin me around."

At first, Jeno gaped at him and lowered his gaze to his hands. His once soft, unscathed hands that were now calloused and rough. Holding his hands and intertwining their fingers firmly, he opened a space between them. Jaemin laughed madly as Jeno spun him in lagoon, splashes of water leaving marks on his skin, warm air stroking his face. The sky was spinning with him, Jeno's powerful grasp didn't let him go and made him taste a new joy of pleasure. 

Jaemin's big smile was contagious, if anybody thinks that he's beautiful casually, they should see him laughing this way. All the stars and brightness squeezed into the soft lines of his face, gracing him lofty. Silver hands of gods had come from sky and carved this boy out of thin air: so light, so fresh, such a beautiful little thing that everything darkened in his radiant presence. This island had never been too full of life before Jaemin came, and at this moment, Jeno knew the real reason why the dragon was staying calm. Being a human didn't only mean eating, talking and thinking. Loving was the simplest form of being a human and as fearful as it's, Jeno took a taste of it.

Once he let go of him, they both stumbled and fell down. Under the water, the sun got blurry so did everything else but he still could see Jaemin's body swimming on surface. The dragon could return any moment and fuse the entire sea to a dry desert within a fire attack. He learned at that moment the flames didn't engulf only when dragon awakened. The fire of love inflamed the heart, and the smoke of his burning heart veiled his eyes.

"This was so funny!" Jaemin screamed, laughing so hard that clouds dispersed and sun glowed a little brighter, a little warmer. Without saying a word, Jeno walked to the shore and pulled out of water quickly. He put on new clothes and tied the strings until Jaemin came to his side with sloppy steps. Despite feeling maid's curious gaze boring into him, he did not look up and began walking towards ship ruins. But he was so wrong thinking that he'd be left alone.

"Hey! Wait for me, Jeno!" 

Wet sounds of Jaemin echoed in lonely island as he ran towards Jeno, and before he could fathom what was happening, he found himself laying facedown on sand. Jaemin had toppled him.

"Shit," he said, trying to touch his nose but maid's weight wasn't letting him. "What are you doing?"

"You are so rude, always abandoning Nana and not talking to me!" 

Whiny voice of Jaemin made him blink dumbly, wondering who the hell was Nana. Was it also his name? It was cute, quite fitting for a boy like him. "I-I just need some time alone. I have to leave when dragon threatens to awaken."

"Let this beast awaken and face me if it has the heart."

Jeno turned on his back once Jaemin's weight was gone, and silver maid was scowling at him. "You aren't aware of what you're saying. Dragon spares nobody, and it's brought you here to burn. Please don't be deceived by who I am and forget who the dragon is."

At that, Jaemin smiled gently and cupped Jeno's face lightly. Warm touch of his hand made goosebumps rise all over his body. Oh, to have these hands on him forever. What a pipe dream that would never come true. Jaemin only pitied him, nothing else, he was that much of a good person. "Our fears only crush us as long as we let them. Dragon won't be a threat if you see it beyond that veiled sight: it's not your enemy, it's a part of you."

Jeno shuddered, gulping dryly. "Who would want to accept such a monster?"

"It's not a monster if you learn how to control it," Jaemin said, retreating his hand. Jeno instantly sought the feeling of his hand. "Our nightmares rule where they find available, parts that we leave unprotected. You don't hate the dragon, you hate what you've made out of it in your mind. Have you burned me, Jeno? This was your decision and dragon complied, it doesn't have any power over you."

"It's easy for you to talk and give advice because you don't know how it feels like," Jeno said, seeing something crack in Jaemin's eyes. When silver maid fully sat down, the sun was setting over his shoulder and aura that surrounded them was almost magical: red, warm and sweet with poignant truths.

"Humans cannot understand each other's pain because we all lead different lives but there is a line where empathy lays. You don't have to know how it feels to respect others struggles. Forgive me for being too impudent and overstepping my limit but I just wish to help you, Jeno. I don't want to abandon you alone here after I return home."

Jeno's heart thrummed, burning inside his chest. Reduced to ashes, his ribs fell and swayed with breeze. "Do not leave then," he said, too quiet that Jaemin almost missed but the way blue eyes widened showed that he heard.

"How shameless," Jaemin said, trying to mock but his eyes were conflicted, cheeks rosy. He hit Jeno's chest lightly like a coy maid, which he was. "You can't wish to keep another man's bride captive. I thought you knew how important it's."

Jeno gulped. "I know. I was just kidding." He looked at the horizon with glassy eyes. "What if Jaehyun doesn't come to take you?"

"Don't you think he will?"

"He still hasn't," Jeno said, too coward to face Jaemin, as he was with everything else. Dragon hummed in his chest, taking joy from his struggle. "Perhaps we should make you a boat."

"I don't know anything about boats but we can try at least, don't you think so?"

Then they looked at each other and Jeno felt something had shifted between them. Next few days, they grew awkward around each other and whenever he closed his eyes, Jeno felt silver maid's piercing gaze on his face. He wasn't stupid, he could understand Jaemin's battle. He was betrothed to someone else, kidnapped by a dragon, captured in an island with no proper way out. On top of that, feeling attracted to a boy who was climbing huge mountains with bare hands, living alone in an island with a lemur and transforming to dragon occasionally didn't sound very appealing. But it was infuriating to know that there was a fire igniting between them, something gravitating them towards each other yet having to ignore it.

Last thing Jeno wanted was pulling this innocent maid to his own hellhole and ruining his bright future that awaited in his town. Jaehyun might be interested in power but he wouldn't dare mistreating Chief's son if he wanted authority, would he? _I will kill him if he harms Jaemin someho_ w. Then he would be surprised at his own thoughts, how protective and possessive he was getting over silver maid who was nothing but a gentle sound of angels. Being with him was a fresh air he never tasted before and it planted gardens inside of his burning chest, forcing dragon to squeeze into a corner. 

While trying to build Jaemin a boat, they would easily get distracted, forget the job and chase each other by the shore. Thanks to times like that, they grew out of their awkwardness and became closer than before. Dare him say, almost sensually. Jeno knew nothing about sex, only what he read from books, but he supposed it's how humans since the start of time discovered such things: through experiencing. At dinner, Jaemin would squeeze next to him, shoulders brushing and bare legs rubbing. At nights, the gap between their sleeping places seemed to shorten and soon enough, they were watching each other's face before dozing off. Sometimes Jeno would wake up to Jaemin's leg over his own or their fingers touching in middle. 

It was strange because Jaemin was the only who stressed that he had a fiance to go back to but perhaps they were both deceived by the god of seduction. Jeno loved watching Jaemin run around the island with cute yells, lemur chasing him ambitiously, while trying to build him a boat. None of them cared about the boat for now. Their sight was blinded and splendid: seeing nothing but each other. One day, when Jaemin was laying over the sand, hot sun had already painted his skin a warm tan and his hair also grown past shoulders. He hadn't spared beauty for anybody else.

"Jeno," he called out, wiggling his toes that were buried in sand. "Can you teach me how to see the wind?"

Dragon rumbled from a corner of his chest but Jeno ignored it, focusing on what Jaemin asked from him. Seeing the wind? How couldn't humans see the wind? Dropping what he was doing with board, Jeno walked alongside shore to pick up flowers. When he returned next to Jaemin who had all the stars and moons hanging in his night sky eyes, he was painfully reminded this silver maid wasn't just a random person. Not a random boy dragon kidnapped. It was more than that.

"What are you doing?" He questioned, as Jeno looked around to spot the wind. When he saw the wind, he let a smile spread his face and began blowing flower leaves into the wind. As colourful leaves found the rhythm of wind and swayed with it, Jaemin seemed awestruck. They watched flowers dance with the wind and rose high up in sky, spiralling around their bodies and following the orbit of wind. 

"Do you see it now?" Jeno asked, ensnared by the universe in Jaemin's gilded eyes.

Jeno used to love drawing stars in his hands long time ago. He would climb dragon's mouth and look for the constellations in sky, then copy them in his palms. Too many restless and sleepless nights that passed under the shadow of moon, something his father didn't approve because _dragons don't keep themselves busy with childish games._ After the death of his father, he had to grow up impossibly fast and now he couldn't find the stars. He couldn't draw them in his palms, they wouldn't shine anymore. He was so broken: let alone reaching the sky, his right hand couldn't even touch the left.

When people were scarred, they would be blind to their hands. He just knew stars were here, the constellations which he watched and learned on his own. After Jaemin would leave with his fiance to get married, would they also look at sky at the same time across the sea? Silver maid was as far as stars and just like stars, he was untouchable. He had been guiding Jeno with his radiance ever since he came, sky would be so empty without him.

Jeno wasn't unfamiliar with solitude. Forced loneliness walked in wet streets of his heart. Looking through steamy windows, his world was utterly dark. He was on a long and narrow road, his heart dark and empty, a dragon's fire melting his bones. _Nights fall and days fade, tears rush to my eyes and memories cry in me. My name is no longer written in stars, it is in the heart of a silver maid. My heart gets bigger, my heart becomes full moon, a thin cloud floods before it and I feel a pang of grief._ What could Jeno possibly do to have the chance of staying with Jaemin until the end of time?

"I know a way to use the wind!" 

Jeno broke out of his trance and looked at Jaemin who stood amongst flying flowers, looking more beautiful than all of them combined. He grabbed Jeno's wrist and forced him to walk past the shore. Once they were inside his lair, silver maid ordered him to prepare dinner and shoved his face into old trunks, constantly tossing sticks around. Having no willpower to go against him, he prepared the dinner as Jaemin told. Lemur settled across him, drool dripping as it watched him cook. Jeno laughed and threw a piece of food to keep him full for now. Sometimes he looked at maid, seeing him glue some sticks together, covering with a red cloth. He had no idea what he was doing but Jaemin looked too pretty when he was attentively immersed in a job, brows pinched harshly, nostrils flaring up whenever he did something wrong or it didn't work out.

Watching him was better than watching the sky, because Jaemin was everything he lacked in his life.

"It's done!" 

Jeno turned to Jaemin, who was holding the red, big thing in his hand. It looked like a dragon. "What's that?" He asked, standing up and walking towards Jaemin.

"It's a kite," he explained, pulling at the long rope at the end of kite. "We fly these kites in sky, the wind helps them. I will teach you how to fly a kite."

Then he took Jeno outside, to the edge of rocks, standing against the thin red slash that marked horizon where the sun would set soon. As if drawing a lovely picture, ever so skilled, Jaemin showed him how to hold the rope, how to set it free on sky and lead it as the wind swiveled the kite. Dragon kite looked straight out of his childhood dreams and memories, putting a smile on his face. If he had learned about kites before, he wouldn't feel too bored in island, perhaps. 

"I want to try too," he said, taking the kite from Jaemin who snuggled too close to him, too warm, that Jeno's mind spun and halted. He flew the kite in sky, witnessing the way wind treated it so gently, like stroking the face of a baby. Was it how freedom felt? Dragons were meant to fly, and flying meant freedom but it was his prison. His destiny was his prison. 

The dragon let out a deep rumble, awakened from its sleep. Wisps of smoke flicked around as the dragon beat its wings, ripping his heart out of his ribcages and replacing it with a spark of fire. A clap of thunder resounded in his ears, a jolt in his limbs. A delicate daisy swung next to him but Jeno was burning, about to bring his end too. Silver maid was an experience that brought heap of euphoria alongside his mere existence. 

When rope slipped through his numb fingers and flew in sky nonchalantly, Jaemin whined about kite fleeing but Jeno couldn't listen. He had to go to narrow pass and calm down, maybe scare dragon away. Mind reeling and spinning, relentless and painful, Jeno started running down the lair. His foot struck the earth and a lightning followed him as if he's its orbit, chaining him in endless torment and fear of getting struck. But it wasn't only the lightning that followed him. Jaemin was also after him, calling out his name in slate, livid hues of desperation.

"Jeno! Stop!"

When a loud thud sound came and Jaemin yelped in pain, Jeno stopped, hovering above dragon's raging fire to check on his silver maid. He had fallen, tripped over a huge rock that he probably didn't see while running after him. Desire to help him weighted down the rage of dragon and Jeno found himself crouching next to maid, examining his injured ankle. He had sprained it pretty bad.

"Why aren't you being careful?" He chided, hesitating before taking Jaemin in his lap. "Can I hold you?"

Jaemin nodded, big, round eyes a little teary and glassy from pain. Jeno hated seeing him suffer, he must always feel the warmth of sun on his face. Taking silver maid in his lap gently, he climbed to lair, lemur making concerned sounds as it followed them. It'd grown to like Jaemin in time, and vice versa. Dragon was flaring up with rampant anger of being restrained but Jeno forgot about it as he focused on tending the injury. After laying him on his bed, he made a salve out of herbs and rubbed it across his ankle after washing with cold water. 

"You are the one tending me this time," Jaemin said through gritted teeth, tugging at Jeno's hair to steady himself. Recalling that night, Jeno halted briefly.

"I remember the lullaby you sang," he murmured, massaging Jaemin's ankle delicately. Last thing he wanted was causing more harm to silver maid and making his sky darken with agony. He should shine brightest forever. Then he glanced at Jaemin's twisted, scrunched face. "I don't have a pretty voice like you but I can sing for you too."

Brewing storms calmed when Jaemin looked at him like that: full of care and attention. Even if the world cracked beneath their foot and sky collapsed, he wouldn't dare looking away and it made Jeno feel worthy of something. A pretty, lovely, sweet maid's care that wasn't many men's fate and not all men were valiant enough to deserve him, anyways. Boys like Jaemin deserved to be treated better than the way they treated others: only this way balance would happen.

"It's not a lullaby but I learned it from the book of a music master," Jeno said, cheeks blushing with embarrassment. "I also play flute but I'm really not good. It's not here, though."

"It's alright," Jaemin stated. "Sing me anything, I know it will sound amazing when you're the one singing."

Jeno slowly laid beside Jaemin in the dark of midnight, moonlight painting both of them diamond. Blue eyes of freedom, happiness and seduction. Nothing sexual. One that invited Jeno in the middle of a tender, soft heart and threatened to love him so fearlessly that all the shadows would disperse from his sky. Could he have this?

" _Oh, you're pigeons, you're dove-coloured, dove-coloured wings._

_Oh, where have you been and how far, and what had you seen?_

_Well, we have been on the distance, on the farewell,_

_Where the soul was leaving the white body."_

Jaemin's eyelids shut close, lashes fluttering like angel wings and gap between them lessened. Burying his face into Jeno's shoulder hesitantly, silver maid snuggled close to him. With his warm presence, Jeno saw thousands of watercolours splash around. Jaemin had unexpectedly showed up in his life but never Jeno ever welcomed such a nice surprise.

_"Was leaving, was separating, was weeping bitterly._

_Was leaving and separating, was weeping bitterly._

_How will you, body, rotting in the earth forever?_

_And how will I, a soul, go far, bear hard_

_Terrible sins and very terrible eternal pain?"_

Hot tears shed onto his skin, but Jeno didn't say anything and protected his body against Jaemin's as other wept whatever he had been keeping away. Perhaps he was crying for his family that he had to leave behind, or the fact that it'd been too long and his fiance Jaehyun wasn't coming to rescue him because he didn't love him. Whatever was the reason of his cries, Jeno wanted to annihilate it. Nothing but sweet sunshines and melodies for the prettiest maid the world ever saw.

Next few days, Jaemin spent his entire time laying down and being spoon-fed by Jeno who wanted nothing but healing him as fast as possible. Seeing him in pain and struggling hurt more than anything and he could do anything to erase the sight of Jaemin suffering from his mind. Every morning, he prepared breakfast for him and when he was asleep throughout noon, Jeno went down to work on his boat. He couldn't stay here any longer, he wasn't made for it: this life, this island, this hardships. They all belonged to somewhere and Jaemin's wasn't this place. There was a family waiting for his arrival in the town. After working on boat, he cooked dinner and ate with Jaemin on their redecorated, cozy lair that seemed to largen with their touches. 

Their clothes here and there, their smells blending together on blankets, and at nights when sleep time came, their bodies touched where nobody could see under bleak night. Sometimes it was their hands interweining, sometimes it was their legs tangled but always something. A part of them that became one. Jeno never specifically liked his hands but they were beautiful against Jaemin's. They were not cut from same cloth and definitely not meant to be together but at times like that, they were solely each other's.

Quite often when the dragon was too restless to let him sleep, Jeno would watch Jaemin sleep and notice how dull he looked in the moonlight despite being made of it and silently prayed gods for him to wake up so the life could return. Without those doe eyes, world was destined to fall, peace was meant to shatter and oceans would dry at the lack of Jaemin's shimmering looks.

Once Jaemin's boat was done with the best of his ability, Jeno hid it for a while until silver maid recovered fully. Until then, it'd become a heavier burden to let him go but it had to be this way. No matter how heartrending it's, not all humans were meant for everywhere and everyone. But god, it was so hard, so hard to look away from him and imagine a day without him in this lonely, quiet island of constant shame and agony. Whose blue eyes would he look at when night fell? Whose hands would hold him when he tripped on a bump? Whose warmth would suffocate him in stormy days? Jeno was painfully made aware of the fact that he'd forgotten how his life used to be before Jaemin. 

He couldn't imagine a life without Jaemin, his silver maid who was too cute, too smart, too good that nobody, even Jeno, deserved him. A daisy swinging in a garden of wilted roses.

One day, it all came down, buried him under the ocean so that he couldn't see the face of sun again. Face of Jaemin. _Oh, silver maid. What have you done to me?_ How could a man go crazy for another man this madly? Was loving somebody more than yourself even allowed, how did it even work? When Jaemin's ankle healed pretty well and he had gone outside to take a stroll around, he came back and slapped him hard, blue eyes darkened and teary. Lemur shrieked at their intercourse, tilting its head with interest.

"Did you prepare a boat for me when I was bedridden for weeks? Do you want me leave so much?"

Jeno gulped. "I-It's for your future. This island isn't your home."

Jaemin looked too taken aback by his words. "Who even cares for the island? It's not the island that I've been caring for deeply."

"It's only because you are trapped here. These are not your real emotions." Jeno had to ignore the broken look in Jaemin's eyes, the way his shell shattered like hundreds of fragments, for the sake of his future. _The one who's against his own branches, how can he love the flower?_ Jeno would die for Jaemin but he couldn't forge himself, not when he was destined to live with a monster that threatened to burn down everything anytime. He could only cause harm to his silver, sweet maid who deserved way more than what he could offer him in an isolated island. "You will be safe and sound in your home."

"And what will you do except for rotting alone between same rocks?" Jaemin yelled, too angry, too broken that Jeno couldn't do anything but accepting everything he spewed at his face. "You don't know any feelings except fearing your own, a fucking dragon that never once hurt me after you managed to control it. But you are way too stuck at the bottom that you can't see the surface. Let it be then."

Jaemin turned around and pulled out an old, worn out bag and filled it with a bunch of food and a few blankets. He was leaving. _Time of separation has come_. Sun was finally retreating to let him dip in dark once again, for a last time before Jeno passed away like a shooting star as well. He rotted in this island for enough of a time, it was time for some serenity.

Watching Jaemin walk down the lair, kick at rocks and jump into boat to paddle away from him was painful to watch, but not that he had the heart to stop him. Lemur began running after Jaemin, following him past the lagoon and sound as silver maid who had come here loudly left just as quietly. But Jeno was glued on his spot on the edge of lair, watching his sun paddle away and his sky darken at his absence and even the dragon was silent. _You can't hurt me when I'm already too numb to feel anything_. Arrows couldn't pierce through his armour, thunders couldn't strike his body. After Jaemin vanished in the horizon, the pour started, storm brewing above his head but never once Jeno looked up.

Emptiness. Vacancy of an arrow slicing his meat and making a space in his chest. Bones cracking against bones, spitting out the blood he swallowed. He left himself onto the emptiness carved inside his chest, the hell that he himself crafted. Mottled walls struck him with the residue of cold death as he fell. Then his fingertips got numb. Like a dead, old body was touching him, freezing his senses. Jaemin was gone. _Gone_.

Who else knew about the war that happened in him when they looked at him? No one could. Everyone carried their pain on their own. A twinge of pain in the pit of stomach, perched on the stern frown between brows, written deep in eyes that were too clouded. You would know winters and miss them in spring. You would know people and lose them one day. No one knew your secrets if your tears rolled inside. If one side of your face looked at the sun, your dark past shined across the other. Jeno was indignant, as the harsh winds took him down. He was alive but dead inside, he was not sprouting because poison ivy was still wrapped around his veins. _I want to turn green and bloom but they just wilt along my eagerness._ He was held back by the chains he never tried to break. They were on his heart, in him, chained to the bottom of his rotten soul.

Few days or months or years passed after Jaemin's departure and time simply didn't exist for a loving, broken heart like Jeno. He walked by the shore, remembering all the times they ran and played here together. In soft dresses, Jaemin would look delicious as he would smile sweetly, making the blackened island glow with his radiance. In the middle of night when they'd try to sleep, Jaemin would start telling him irrelevant stuff about his town and giggle at old memories. He was painfully bad at cooking so he always left it to Jeno to prepare their food but even his struggles with food was adorable. Now his smile and laughter were absent in the island.

This fucking island that he was supposed to stay forever. It's full of forsaken souls who didn't have any roads to take. Some thought souls of dragons were gone but the truth was that, they were still here. In the cold rocks of mountain, in the caverns of bleak, in the halls of pelting rains. All the dragons that died returned their homeland that was the island. They never left, they never stopped yearning. They were anguish-stricken spirits that stumbled in the dark, searching for vengeance. But nobody owed them anything. It was up them to decide what kind of humans they would become, wasn't it?

Whether it was Jaemin, his silver sweet maid or somebody else, Jeno still wouldn't burn them to death. But why? Why would a dragon's seed choose peace over bloodshed? When he would ask dragon about this, it'd stay silent, pitifully silent as if it didn't exist. It pushed Jeno to question if the dragon even existed in first place. Sometimes he would jump into the bottom of cavern, where narrow pass stood and challenged dragon to come out.

"Come and face me, you monster," he'd say, squeezing his fists. "We will see who is stronger."

But no matter how much he stupidly screamed, wanted to transform, it didn't happen. In time, he also stopped trying and sat between same rotten rocks as Jaemin told him. Lemur didn't show up quite often as it used to do, scowling at him whenever they ran into each other somewhere in island that was slowly tumbling down. Jaemin was the lifeline that kept the island vivid and alive. Without him, it was fading. So was Jeno.

Seeing Jaemin's worn clothes lay on floor was a cruel picture. His sweet, floral smell that was also fading, fading from reality and his mind. But he hoped that Jaemin was in a better place and felt proud for sending him away so that he wouldn't go down with Jeno who ran with death and was also approaching his own end. Storms and pours, sun and stars, shadow of the moon that fell upon whole island. One night, when storm was brewing again, Jeno was once again at the tip of dragon's mouth. He had stood here a long time and heard the song of dragon, which led to him lose control and kidnap Jaemin. They met at the bottom of pit, got to know and understand each other and separated, like all couples did in books. It would be the last time he got to stand on dragon's mouth.

The one who couldn't love his own flower fell in love with a daisy he's never meant to touch with his hellish leaves. Now that daisy was where it belonged, it was time to put off the fire that burned him up. When he jumped, it was easier than before. He didn't see his whole life pass before his eyes. He didn't even have much time to focus on falling before it struck him, the sound, the music, the call of dragon's sound.

_"Before, there was no time, no earth, no dust, nothing_

_Time is a fast-flowing river_

_No one can escape the lapse of time_

_The maid is ready to wed_

_As he waits for his groom_

_Just like when one awaits death_

_He is clad in white, as if dressed in shroud..."_

Jaemin knew he shouldn't sing the song, he wasn't an idiot to put others in danger this way. _No_. He sang the song because he needed help. With a sea standing between them, he knew how to reach out to Jeno. This time, it wasn't dragon that responded. Letting out a boisterous scream, Jeno ordered dragon to reveal and take him to his silver maid. The dragon that was shrunk for weeks beamed red, beating its wings and splitting pouring sky with a roar. Then dragon headed towards the town, the source of song. It wasn't a trap, it wasn't an ambush. It was Jaemin who left him teary eyed and broken hearted and he called Jeno for help. Even when they fell out dramatically, it stirred something in him knowing that he was the one he called in a moment of emergency.

Jeno flew over villages and fields, then reached the icy, snowy town. _Jaemin. Where are you, my silver boy?_ He passed over the lake and went straight to an open arena where a big crowd had gathered. Dragon's sharp eyes saw it from faraway: they were around a Jaemin who was tied on a stick. They were going to kill him.

Roaring angrily, dragon flew too close to humans and dispersed them like a bunch of ants. When a few guards tried to run at him, Jeno blew fire relentlessly and captured them in endless torture of dragonfire. He had no pity to spare right now, not when Jaemin was clad in blood and dirt, clearly beaten and hurt. His mind reeled at the way his maid was treated, and he hissed more dangerous. He could kill them all if they tried to get in his way. He only snapped out of rampant anger and blurry sight when somebody threw a stone at him, a young girl with silver hair and blue eyes. The sister Jaemin had been praising and talking about in island.

"Take him and get out of here!" She yelled, climbing the platform to untie Jaemin. Silver maid's head was hung low, but Jeno could sense those sweet eyes watching him. _What have they done to him?_ With a painful rumble, dragon stretched his long scaled neck and snuggled his head close to Jaemin. 

"You've come," he whispered, with a little smile pulling at his lips. "I am sorry for abandoning you. I was just angry."

 _Don't apologize_ , Jeno thought but dragon only let out a bunch of incoherent grumbles, making Jaemin giggle softly. Even under such circumstances, he was still radiant and hopeful. Once his sister freed him, she hugged him tightly and kissed his hair, apologising for failing at stopping Jaehyun before. So it was about him, dragon slayer's son. Where was he?

"We will meet again, Nana," she said, and looked scared when soldiers began stomping their way. Jeno beat his wings and hissed, wisps of flames blowing. Her eyes were harsh as they stared into his. "Take care of him, shifter."

Then Jeno rose high over the soldiers, breathed fire upon them and grabbed Jaemin's scarred body carefully between his claws. He would learn everything once they were in island, a safe haven only for both of them. When they flew under pouring storm, Jaemin squirmed uncomfortably but they were almost here. They were here. Flying to his lair, Jeno dropped maid down gently and commanded dragon to retreat, though nothing happened. How wonderful, rebelling him once again after a long, boisterous silence.

"Jeno," silver maid said, moonlight glowing on the right side of his face. Despite his scarred body only dressed in a thin layer of gown, he rose on his tiptoes and touched dragon's face tenderly. With his touch, the sound of flames hushed and dizziness took over Jeno who was cornered with too much pressure, oppression and failure. In the reflection of blue eyes, he saw the black beast, the dragon that kidnapped Jaemin at their first meet and rescued him at their last. Realization dawned on him as he witnessed solemn, serious expression of dragon, reading through his soul. _We might be different creatures but in a way, we are one._ "Come back to me, darling."

Jeno only realized he'd transformed when they were at eye level, staring at each other without fears and tears. Grabbing Jaemin's waist and leaning over his face, Jeno caressed his cheek delicately. Halting to ask for permission, it was his sweet maid that winded arms around his body and slotted their lips together. Sweet eyes, sweet lips, sweet taste: everything about Jaemin was overdone because no way such a perfect human could exist. Jeno had never tasted anything like him, nor did he want to. They were together forever now.

"Let's get inside, Nana," he said, letting an embarrassed smile grow on his face. He took Jaemin in his lap and carried him inside the lair. Dropping him on his bed, Jeno instantly asked permission to undress him and change his clothes. 

"I killed Jaehyun," Jaemin confessed, indifferent to the way he was soaked wet and shivering uncontrollably. Jeno stared at him. "I found his ship at the port: he'd given up on searching for me because we didn't love each other, there was nothing to find. Then- Then he began sputtering bullshit about going back to island with me and killing you, like his mighty father did. I told him, I told father that you aren't like other dragons, that you never harmed me but they wouldn't listen. I didn't want to be a murderer, Jeno, but I would kill him again and again for you."

Jeno frowned, as he pulled down Jaemin's dress and looked at his wounds. It wasn't so bad but he still needed to be tended and watched over or else scars could get worse. Preparing another salve of herbs for silver maid, Jeno whispered sweet things as he wiped the blood, cleaned wounds and rubbed salve on each scar. Jaemin gritted his teeth and held on to his hair again, reminding him that one time, putting a nostalgic smile on his face. He looked at his maid with longing eyes, promising himself to never let him go if he didn't want it either. _He killed a man for me, and what have I done for him?_

Later, Jaemin told him entire story. How he killed Jaehyun, how his father had to put him in jail for murder, how he denied to love Jaehyun in front of others and they wanted to get rid of a burden like him. Decision to burn him to death was painful but his father couldn't prevent it, as he preferred to stay at home while ritual took place. I _know he is happy right now_ , Jaemin added with a teary smile and Jeno caressed his hair tenderly. _He couldn't rescue me but I still found a way out, thanks to you._

"I didn't expect to hear dragon's song but I knew it was you, it had to be you," he murmured, bodies too close and too warm. Jaemin smelled flowery with a hint of blood and sweat and his heart beat like a steady drum, almost as if it’s part of a song. Still, Jaemin was unique and nothing could overshadow his presence.

"I shouldn't have left in the first place. I shouldn't have abandoned you."

Jeno kissed his hair, his hair that grew long and cut evenly at home. Silver-white locks seemed to inhale and exhale as he threaded his fingers through strands, witnessing the way this sweet maid carried essence of life in every part of him. Unsure of what to say to such a thing, he remained quiet. He wouldn't want him to leave and kill someone either but it already happened and stayed behind.

"Say something," Jaemin whined and Jeno had to stop himself from smooching every corner of his moon face. He wanted to fold himself over him, pressed so tightly together that they could never be separated again. They were never meant to be apart to begin with. They were not cut from the same cloth but they were meant to be together. Jeno and Jaemin, just them.

Nothing could come in between them anymore.

Next morning, Jeno woke up to sweet touches on his face. Soft fingertips that grazed the lines of his face and chaste kisses that marked his skin. Humming deliriously, he hugged closer to Jaemin, whose head was tucked in his neck but maid didn't seem to stop. Cold vault of sky had cleared up thanks to him again, and this time, Jeno wouldn't let heavenly warmth slip through his fingers again. The dragon had soared up high into sky to rescue what belonged to him and now he was in his arms, serenity filled in heady goblets, squeezed into dark old stones of mountain. They both returned to each other.

"You shouldn't smile too cutely and hide it from me."

When Jaemin whispered, Jeno's smile grew bigger. Tightening his arms around silver maid, he opened his eyes and met azure sky that was stretched wide for him. Despite being a dragon, Jeno never flew around for too long, couldn't. Everytime he felt sad that leaden sky slipped off the grasp of his hand. He could have touched the dome and known how it felt like but dragon always fought and distracted him. Maybe sky would open its doors for him and Jeno would witness a whole new world between the stars, sunlights and moondust. He never had any of these but he had Jaemin now, and his pretty, blue eyes. A sky that's only for him to discover. Cupping Jaemin's cheek and leaning in to leave a small kiss on his lips, Jeno thanked all the gods at the bottom of sea and at the top of world for reuniting them. 

But he couldn't stop wondering what if Jaehyun didn't insist killing him? Would Jaemin accept his proposal and get married to him? Would there be another chance for them to find each other again under such conditions? _If two people are destined to be together, then they gravitate each other no matter what._

"I am the happiest man in the world and if anyone dares taking it from me, I'll drag them to underworld myself," Jeno said, making Jaemin laugh.

"I'm not planning to go anywhere without you."

Jeno pulled back and stroked silver hair, flowing through his fingers with heaviness as if it was made of real silver. He wasn't. Jaemin was made of moondust. "I never wanted you to abandon me but I couldn't make you leave your home behind. You had to return to what's yours and decide what you wanted to do with your life, do you understand me? But I now wish I didn't send you, so these pretty hands of yours wouldn't be painted with the blood of a bastard."

Jaemin blinked blankly and sighed deeply, a twinge of guilt reflecting through his eyes. Killing a human wasn't something easy and even if it was in your sake, it hunted you down. Jeno never killed anyone but he had to understand and respect his struggle about it. "Whatever will be, will be. No point in dwelling anymore, it's already happened. Jeno, I am so happy with you. I think I'm in love with you."

Jeno blushed, stumbling over words and sputtering madly. "D-Don't say such things all of a sudden!" Jaemin chuckled at his reaction and cupped his heated cheeks, latching their lips in a smoother, sweeter kiss that left both of them quivering like cold birds in winter. There wouldn't be winter for them anymore, only the spring that just touched their branches. _The one who's against his own branches, how can he love the flower?_

Jeno had such a vast amount of knowledge about dragons yet he was unable to learn how to control and accept it. Silver maid wasn't wrong when he said it's a part of him, not a dragon, not a human; he was a shifter. He was everything he despised but it was him, what made him, how could Jeno continue living with the gap within where his heart was supposed to be? Closing his eyes in pain, he bumped their foreheads softly, feeling their warmth and smell blend perfectly. 

"Thank you for everything," he whispered, knowing that he didn't need to thank Jaemin but felt the desire to express his admiration over silver boy. "I had anchored myself in a steel box, clamped it with the last piece of my strength. Deeming me worthy, you unlocked the box and unleashed what I've been missing out on for years. You also stopped Jaehyun from hunting me, gave me a new chance in life. I wish to deserve everything you've given me."

Jaemin shook his head vigorously. "I didn't give you anything, Jeno. You have always been a good person, perhaps I just polished you." Another giggle, one that made him open his eyes and smile at the childish, pure look on maid's face where solemn and mirth warred. He couldn't be the old maid he used to be: in fact, he was now a man who fought for his love and life. Being the reason Jaemin fought his own people made something flutter in Jeno's stomach, were they called butterflies? He remembered reading it on a book.

He put a hand on Jaemin's chest, feeling the beat of his heart and lowered it to sling his arm around his waist, pulling him on top of his body. With surprise, silver maid held on to his shoulders as their hips collided, chests striking each other and making thunderings noises. Careful in order to not harm his scarred body, Jeno caressed his sides and stole a peck from his lips that wobbled joyfully. 

"Let's never break apart, Jaemin. We shall always remain together." Without Jaemin, night had shushed, darkened. Only moon was left in a valley, his heart hanging down the cliff. Jeno never wanted to go through it again. As a respond, silver maid bumped their noses softly. It was more than an answer.

Next days, it was him taking care of Jaemin plus lemur doting on him, bringing everything he wanted, waiting beside him in case anything happened. It was a blustery day when Jaemin said they should name the lemur already but it took days to come up with a decent name fit for the lemur that had done too much for them. In the end, they decided to name it Rhino, and it seemed to detest the name but had to go along with it. Knowing that Rhino absolute despised its name, Jaemin kept singing and humming loudly just to annoy the lemur that shrieked with disappointment.

Meanwhile, his wounds were getting better as Jeno's salve would never let him down. Jaemin even claimed he'd be an outstanding physician if he lived in a town and for a reason, it hooked on his mind. Could moving from island be possible? Now that no more dragon babies could be made and Jaemin or Jeno were unable to carry their own babies, perhaps they could start a new life somewhere away from all of this. He imagined a small cottage of them, decorated by two of them, smelled like them, a home that was theirs, belonged to them. Would his pretty maid want that too? He knew town life and how to act like humans way better. It would take Jeno's precious time to adapt to such a change but perhaps all he needed was getting away from island, the dragon's lair and the neverending memory of his ancestors. 

One night, when Jaemin was making up their bed and Rhino was outside, Jeno hugged him tightly from behind. He felt blissful for being the lucky man to feel his maid's curves and hear his laughter. Even the dragon was enjoying this: rumbling grossly whenever Jeno and Jaemin got a little too heated. He had watched him wash in lagoon yesterday: his lithe, lean body with agile muscles. A pretty, smart town boy and a strong man who survived wildlife. 

"Jaemin," he mumbled, kissing behind his ear. "I want to ask you something but promise me you will decide for your own good, not mine."

Growing curious, Jaemin tried to turn in his arms but Jeno didn't let him. Just as he smiled coyly, he felt himself being manhandled and thrown over the bed. Jaemin was quick to climb his lap and straddle his hips, smiling down at him with much innocence that you wouldn't believe it was him manhandling Jeno like that. "Don't play with me, dragon boy. Tell me whatever it's."

"I-" Jeno stuttered, rendered speechless. His heart was thundering so rough that his breath was cut off, chest twisting in pain. All he could do was staring up at Jaemin's blue eyes, silver strands that fell over his face, how ethereal he looked under torches and moonlight. "I want to sail to a new town and start a new life with you. Do you accept?"

Jaemin was shocked for a moment, then his face softened and he sighed deeply, tucking his head into the crook of Jeno's neck. With a sob, he cried out, "Yes, please, anywhere with you,"

Shaking with excitement, Jeno wrapped his arms around Jaemin tightly and kissed his hair, his neck, his chin. He turned his head and their lips met in a heated, lovely kiss. The way they kissed was so delirious, so lascivious as if they intended to get their lips embedded on each other. They touched each other with soft yet rough hands that promised to scrub off all other scars, only leaving their love marks behind. When a dragon roared, the sky split in two, and people scurried in fear. When they kissed, as Jeno and Jaemin, sun and moon crashed, stars fell from sky and burned the earth. He could both feel the earth and wind, but as long as Jaemin was next to him, everything else could disappear.

He grabbed Jaemin's hips, grinding their hips together. Despite both of them being clueless and inexperienced, they worked flawless together, unravelling each other with such care that a fire started blazing where their chests rutted. Rubbed his leg along the length of Jeno's and curling around his seductively, Jaemin marked him sensationally from where he stood. 

"My darling," Jeno breathed loudly against his lips, cupping Jaemin's face in his hands. He pressed hard, wet and big kisses down his neck. Licking long stripes across the skin, like he was eating his favourite meal. Devouring him slowly and taking all the bites of delight. Completely unsurprising, Jaemin tasted wonderful everywhere. Every part of his body was blessed, a sanctuary that he was obliged to worship. Moaning shyly, Jaemin cupped his face and brushed their noses cutely but his next words were nothing innocent.

"Jeno, touch me down there. Where no one has ever touched me before."

Carefully, Jeno switched positions and caged Jaemin beneath his body. Warm and large hands, tongues meddling together, moans dancing in the seraphic silence of lair. Messy bed felt like rose petals under their strong bodies, but thorns had already cut them and blood long stopped shedding. For the first time, they felt the softness of rose and flowers. Flowers that brought lovers together even from across the sea.

As Jeno stripped both of them, Jaemin grabbed his waist and dug his fingers into tight skin, strong and tanned. Thunders struck when their gaze locked on each other but the sound was nothing that could ruin their moment. Softly grabbing his maid's chin between his thumb and index finger, stroking him gently, Jeno pecked his sweet lips. Blue eyes eyes were dark, lush and gorgeous, looking at him dreamily.

"Can I?" He asked with blush set high on his cheekbones, hand trailing down Jaemin's toned chest. Once he was given permission, he went lower, kissing his chest and licking around his nipples. Jeno's saliva looked diamond across his tan skin. Meanwhile, Jaemin ran hands through his brown locks, stroking him gently but that soon changed as Jeno's mouth kissed the tip of his cock.

Jaemin moaned louder with joy as Jeno sucked him, his muscles clenching with pleasure taking over. Taking all of his pretty cock in his mouth, Jeno pushed his silver, virgin maid to the edge of madness. His body shivered like a little bird in cold, wings fluttered above his head. When Jeno stared at his hole and teased it with the tip of his fingers, Jaemin playfully kicked him and whined, cock still hard and red against his stomach.

"I'm not sure how it happens," Jeno confessed, drawing a finger inside his hole and witnessing the way it clenched around. Gorgeous. Jaemin's plush thighs quivered, squeezing his head between.

"Can you be faster, please? I'm about to explode."

"It's almost dawn," Jeno whispered, quite weird for such an intimate, hot moment when he was fucking in and out of Jaemin with his fingers. "We will give birth to sun together."

"Sun is at the tip of my tongue. Have it if you can."

Jeno had it. They laid on the bed clinging to each other again, kissing, making out passionately. He was confident as he grazed his hand on Jaemin's bare thighs, kneading at his ass. His free hand was across delicate, tanned neck, feeling his pulse throughout entire moment, to prove himself that they were here and doing this. His fingers inside of Jaemin, thrusting in and out, making obscene sounds that got him all red.

When the sun dawned in the horizon, they were still kissing and sharing their sweat. Jaemin's fingertips burned everytime he touched Jeno's skin but dizziness took over them almost instantly, making him taste the exotic, spring garden in the bed. With every thrust of Jeno's hips, Jaemin's back pressed deeper into mattress. Jeno felt so many things in one small moment as he explored the heaven inside of Jaemin, fucking him deep and sweet. It was hard to be in harmony but after they found their rhythm, they were both ecstatic.

Their enthusiastic hearts beat against each other, sweaty chests brushing as they rose up and down deliriously. His lips touched Jaemin's skin like he was singing hymns across his neck, throat and shoulders. He fit his nose into the depth of his sharp collarbone while his thrusts became erratic, emitting lewd cries from silver boy underneath him, lounging as he was at the edge of overstimulation. Their moans were a song no other melodies could harmonize together. Their rhythm was so smooth as if they were told how to act from the start of time, even Jaemin's loud breaths had a poetic, alluring beauty.

As the day came, sun bathed them in warmth and obviousness of clear morning, they slowed down but didn't lose a piece of their passion. Hands gently caressing weary body, lips tracing their features, waving calm like a sea after storm. Jeno kissed under his ear, lips fuller than ever. From kissing, from Jaemin. He had cummed inside of him, and helped him to get off as well.

Today, Jeno was reborn with the rising of sun and under Na Jaemin's soft hands.

They began working on the boat next day, happier than before. This time, they didn't neglect anything and gave their all to fulfill their dreams. Hope of a new life away from this blackened, isolated island with the nightmares of dragons: one that prisoned Jeno into solitude all these years. He still had to confront his dragon, learn how to live with it but he was on a brighter side. Desire to be happy had sparked back in him with Jaemin but he wasn't the last salvation for Jeno. Despite his love for silver maid teaching him many great lessons, Jeno had to accept himself first to finally find the peace he was looking for so long. Love only helped you heal, in the end, humans should put some worth on themselves to live a full life.

 _The one who's against his branches, how can love the flower?_ Perhaps he would never love that side of him, the dragon and its wrath, but loving wasn't the only solution. After starting his new life with Jaemin away from island, Jeno hoped to never transform again. He'd lived enough as a dragon in his lair, he could try being a little human for a while, couldn't he? Dragon didn't need to be his nightmare or daydream: it could just stay where it was because it was a part of Jeno even if it didn't do anything. It would take his time to fully adapt to the fact that he was trying to live with a dragon inside of him but in time, he would learn how to control himself. He had done it before, many many times, he could only see it now. No other ancestors of him had spared a bride's life. Jeno was never eclipsed by the shadow of his dragon, he was just way too lonely and isolated to realize he was doing good.

Before Jaemin, he never knew a human could accept and love a dragon the way it's. Even when they're kidnapped by mentioned dragon but Jaemin approached him with gentleness he had for everyone else. Perhaps at first, he was another person for him but it was what he needed to see he wasn't a monster nor a saviour. He was Jeno, just _Jeno_. After his father, nobody ever called out his name and when Jaemin did, he remembered how it felt to be a human, being recognized out of decency. His silver maid had given him everything he didn't even wish to have.

Being a human wasn't easy, as he would learn later, with a pain that's still engraved on his bones. Nothing was easy as a human in human world, surrounded by people who were full of arrogance, ignorance and malice, but being with Jaemin was simple. It was simple when they held hands, when they hugged, when they always curled on each other's lap at the end of a tiring day.

Sometimes dragon would rumble deep in his chest, sometimes his skin would get too hot and red twinkles would shine on his chest and it would take hours to fight off the dragon. In time, Jeno forgot how earth felt like and no longer saw the wind but he didn't need to. Whenever he was with Jaemin, entire skydome was at the tip of his hands and his maid smelled like godswood with fresh rain. He learned to let go of great things to be happy with smaller things, and it truly brought him joy in life.

In the end, humans were dumb, little creatures filled with worldly desires and dreams but Jeno was probably the proudest to be this way. Every time he kissed Jaemin, their vulnerabilities, disappointments and heartbreaks all leaked out. They created a universe from where their worlds collided. A new, fresh universe that only consisted them and of course, Rhino. Dragons had to live together, but Jeno learned it was time to let it go. Being a dragon wasn't his decision but he chose this life and he would never despise the freedom to make his own choices. There wasn't anything to despise, anyways, despite big problems in their life. As long as Jeno and Jaemin relied on each other, there was light for them at the end of road.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this lol. Jeno's journey from calling dragon 'it' and slowly turning to call it 'him' means that he at least accepted it's a part of him. He's my fav Jeno rn lol. After my finals are done, I'll come back to other ongoing fic AND a new royalty short fic of enemies-to-lovers Nomin which is GoT inspired :') I missed Khal Jeno haven't you?
> 
> Leave ur comments and take care babies. Thank you for sm support and love I see all of you!!
> 
> [new cc](https://curiouscat.qa/melsjeno)


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